Azmyl Yunor (born Azmyl Yusof; 17 January 1977) is a Malaysian independent English and Malay language singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, academic and writer.
He is also a journalist and filmmaker by training.
His works have ranged from folk-country singer-songwriter styles to experimental guitar improvisations to punk and indie-noise rock, solo and with various bands he has founded and recorded with.
All of his solo recordings are released on his own Rapidear label (his earlier obscure cassette home recordings are out of print) and Troubadours.
A former street musician,
he is noted for his strong songwriting and lyrics, and laidback on-stage presence yet energetic live shows. He has also composed and collaborated for film, television, theatre, dance and spoken word/poetry productions.
Early life
Azmyl Yunor was born on 17 January 1977 in Pantai Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur. He is a son of Yusof Husin, an entomology professor and Norani Abdul Samad, a microbiology professor. Yunor has a younger brother, Azree who is eight years his junior. He grew up in
Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
, Australia where his parents continuing their studies until he was 4 years old.
His family moved to
Bandar Baru Bangi
Bandar Baru Bangi (literal translation: ''Bangi New Town'') is a township situated in Hulu Langat District, in southeastern Selangor, Malaysia.
It is named after the small town of Bangi situated further south. It is located between Kajang and P ...
, Selangor when he was 12. He attended the Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Jalan Gurney (1).
Music career
With the release of the country folk-flavored ''Tenets'' EP (2005 / produced by Azmyl Yunor & Ron Khoo) in 2005 to acclaim, he garnered wider attention of the press and established himself as one of the main movers of the burgeoning Malaysian singer-songwriter scene along with the likes of
Meor Aziddin Yusof
Meor Yusof Aziddin Meor Hassan (1967 – 24 December 2021), popularly known as Meor, was a Malaysian folk singer-songwriter in the Malay language.
Life and career
He was born in Beruas, Perak in 1967. He performed from 1984 and had a major labe ...
,
Pete Teo
Pete Teo (, born 26 December 1972), is a multiple award winning Malaysia, Malaysian singer songwriter, film composer and filmmaker as well as a sought-after actor in what has become known as 'New Wave Malaysian Cinema'. His work is associate ...
,
Shanon Shah
Shanon Shah (born 14 August 1978 in Alor Star, Kedah), is a singer-songwriter, playwright and academic from Malaysia. He released two albums ''Dilanda Cinta'' (2005) and ''Suara Yang Ku Dengar'' (2010) on the InterGlobal Music Malaysia independe ...
and Shelley Leong. He has also recorded and released
lo-fi
Lo-fi (also typeset as lofi or low-fi; short for low fidelity) is a music or production quality in which elements usually regarded as imperfections in the context of a recording or performance are present, sometimes as a deliberate choice. The ...
recordings under the name Thunder Coffee Club.
He was voted as one of KLue magazine's '20 Under 40 – Significant & Young Individuals or Collectives' along with the likes of
Mawi
Asmawi bin Ani (born 25 August 1981), better known by his stage name Mawi, is a Malaysian singer and winner of the Third Season of Malaysia's popular reality show, ''Akademi Fantasia''. His father is a blacksmith in his hometown of Kulai.
Ap ...
,
Daphne Iking,
Tiara Jacquelina
Puan Sri Tiara Jacquelina Eu Effendi is a Malaysian actress, film producer, musical theater producer, singer, and the founder of ''The Enfiniti Academy of Musical Theatre and Performing Arts''. She is well-acclaimed for her role in ''Puteri Gunu ...
, and
Amir Muhammad in 2006.
His bi-lingual album ''Warga'' (2010 / produced by Azmyl Yunor & Ariff Akhir) saw him launch a self-funded 20-month tour to promote it.
His album ''Wilayah'' (2012 / produced by Azmyl Yunor & Ron Khoo) which features his two signature songs 'Makan Gaji' and 'Anak Dara' was recorded with his touring band the Sigarettes.
He is a co-founder and member of the Experimental Musicians and Artists Co-operative Malaysia (Emacm) and a co-founder of Troubadours Enterprise, organisers of the annual singer-songwriter festival KL Sing Song from 2005 to 2009.
He was also a guitarist for
Damo Suzuki
, better known as Damo Suzuki (ダモ鈴木), is a Japanese musician who has been living in Germany since the early 1970s and is best known as the former lead singer of the krautrock group Can.
Biography
As a teenager, Suzuki spent the late 196 ...
's Network in Malaysia for a performance together in 2010. A musical named after one of his popular songs "Something I Wrote" (directed by Mark Teh, produced by the Five Arts Centre) based on his life and works was staged in August 2013, during which he also launched a retrospective cd ''Revenge of the Rabak: Selected Works from the Lo-fi Years 1997–2005'' comprising selected songs from his lo-fi cassette releases and the Tenets EP in its entirety. ''The Pedra Branca EP'' (2014 / produced by Ronnie Khoo, Azmyl Yunor, & Jeremy Lee), a split EP with Singaporean doom folk artist Hell Low, was released in April 2014 and they both toured Singapore and Peninsula Malaysia to promote the release.
After the disbandment of Azmyl Yunor & the Sigarettes in August 2014, he began work on a new album called ''Was Was'' and formed Azmyl Yunor & Orkes Padu with collaborator/ producer and ex-Sigarettes drummer Raje. The band released its debut single "Tanah air Ku" ("My Motherland") from the new album on Malaysia Day and made its debut festival performance at Urbanscapes 2014. He released his latest album ''John Bangi Blues'' (2020 / produced by Ariff Akhir & Azmyl Yunor) in September 2020 to positive reviews for its stripped down live electric arrangement and lyrics which explored contemporary social themes.
He teaches the film and performing arts programmes at
Sunway University
Sunway University is a private university in Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. It has a 10 hectare (24 acre) campus comprising academic and residential blocks adjacent to the Sunway Lagoon theme park.
It offers undergradua ...
.
He has also performed as a duo with fellow singer-songwriter
Shanon Shah
Shanon Shah (born 14 August 1978 in Alor Star, Kedah), is a singer-songwriter, playwright and academic from Malaysia. He released two albums ''Dilanda Cinta'' (2005) and ''Suara Yang Ku Dengar'' (2010) on the InterGlobal Music Malaysia independe ...
.
Discography
*''John Bangi Blues'' (2020)
*''PKP EP'' (2020)
*''Ampang Park EP'' (2017)
* ''Was Was'' (2015)
* ''The Pedra Branca EP'' (split EP with Hell Low) (2014)
* ''Revenge of the Rabak: Selected Works from the Lo-fi Years 1997–2005'' (2013)
* ''Wilayah'' (2012)
* ''H.I.D.U.P.: Hari Ini Di Ukay Perdana'' (2010)
* ''Warga'' (2010)
* ''Tenets'' EP (2005)
* ''jikalauan'' EP (2004)
* ''ends'' (2003)*
* ''The Photocopy Album'' (2001)*
* ''PRE-DUSK GLIMMER'' (1999)*
* ''FOLK'' (1998)*
* ''Watever'' (1997)*
Note:
* cassette only releases
Filmography
* ''Songs From The Mekong'' (2012. Dir: Steve Northcott & Gary Blanton)- Actor / Composer
* ''Tolong! Awek Aku Pontianak'' (2011. Dir: James Lee)- Cameo & Film Composer
* ''I Want To Remember'' (2011. Dir: Sherman Ong) – Film Composer
* ''Year Without A Summer (Berkelana)'' (2011. Dir: Tan Chui Mui) – Film Score/ Composer
* ''Rojak'' (2009. Dir: Suleiman Brothers) – Supporting Role
* ''Before We Fall in Love Again'' (2006. Dir: James Lee) – Film Composer
* ''The Flowers Beneath My Skin'' (2006. Dir: Kit Ong) – Film Score/ Composer
* ''Sehingga KL Ku Menyanyi (Until My KL Sings)'' (2006. Dir: Mien Lor) – Supporting Role
Publication
* "Busking the Days Away" (in 'What's After SPM?', editor: Roshan Thiran. Leaderonomics Publishing, Kuala Lumpur 2011.)
* "Facing the Music: Music Subcultures and 'Morality' in Malaysia" (in 'Media, Culture & Society in Malaysia.', editor: Yeoh Seng Guan. Taylor & Francis Routledge, London 2010.)
Television
* ''Dongibab'' (2022)
* ''Kias Ramadhan'' (2011)
* ''Anak-Anak Ramadhan'' (2009)
Appearances
* ''The Maharajah Commission/Gangly Youth'' split 7-inch – The Maharajah Commission (2012)
* ''Rasa Sayang Jalan Sultan'' compilation – various artists (2012)
* ''On The Beat and Path'' compilation – various artists (2012)
* ''Radio Demokratika'' compilation – various artists (2011)
* ''Soal Kelentong Batu Cheng'' – Ladang Gempak (2006)
* ''Voices From Next Door'' compilation – various artists (2006)
* ''Mamak Conspiracy'' – Ben's Bitches (2006)
* ''It's Great To Have An EP...'' – Ciplak! (2006)
* ''Panic in the Peninsula'' compilation – various artists (2005)
* ''Come Together'' compilation – various artists (2005)
* ''National Disservice'' – Ben's Bitches (2004)
* ''Punkrawkoholic vol. 1'' compilation (as Thunder Coffee Club) – various artists (2003)
* ''Dialogue Amoreaux'' – The Maharajah Commission (2003)
* ''The Experimental Musicians & Artists Co-op Malaysia SELECTED LIVE JAN-FEB 2003'' (2003) – various artists (2003)
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yunor, Azmyl
1977 births
Living people
Malaysian people of Malay descent
Malaysian Muslims
Malaysian male singer-songwriters
Malaysian singer-songwriters
Malaysian people of Javanese descent
Malaysian people of Minangkabau descent
People from Kuala Lumpur
Malay-language singers
Malaysian folk singers